Gedig Powers Viper Win:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Gedig powers viper win

by don klepp | Added 2009-12-18

Smooth-skating Curtis Gedig scored three times as the Vipers bombed Victoria 8-2 on Friday night.

The game was never really in doubt – the Grizzlies were unable to match the intensity they showed in 4-0 wins over Merritt and Salmon Arm this week, while the Viper forwards freewheeled all game. Viper defensive lapses gifted two goals to the Grizzlies, who generated just six scoring chances in the game.

Vernon opened the scoring at 6:09 of the first period. Moving to his left along the Grizzly blue line, Dan Nycholat found a shooting lane for a low shot. Ex-Grizzly Jonathan Milhouse pounced on the rebound for his 12th goal of the season.

At 8:41, Derek Bacon was allowed to come out from behind Graeme Gordon and try a wraparound. His attempt was errant, but the puck bounced in off Curtis Gedig’s skate. The 1-1 tie was shortlived: Cory Kane and Connor Jones combined for a score 36 seconds after the Bacon goal. Coming over the blue line, Jones drew two defenders to him and slipped a backhand pass to Kane, who drove the net. The puck rolled up and over the shoulder of goalie Colin Fernandes.

Gedig scored the first of his three on the power play at 16:09. Coming off the right point, he accepted a pass from Bryce Kakoske and snapped it over Fernandes’s left shoulder. Gedig followed with a similar goal at 3:09 of the second period. Again, Dan Nycholat moved along the Victoria blue line until he found a shooting lane. His hard wrist shot rebounded well out to Gedig, who wasted no time in rifling a high shot past Fernandes.

In the second, Cory Kane also notched his second of the game. Shortly after a Viper penalty had expired, Connor Jones headmanned a pass that sent Kane and Milhouse on an odd-man rush. As the two advanced, Milhouse patiently waited for an open pass, which Kane easily converted.

Gedig ‘s speed allowed him to get his hat trick goal with just four seconds left in the period. A Mike Collins pass found Bryce Kakoske who spotted Gedig racing to the net. With his left arm fending off a defender and his right hand on the stick, Gedig directed the puck through Fernandes’s legs.

In the third period, goals by Dylan Walchuk sandwiched a Joel Lowry marker and the teams started to think about their next games. Victoria now heads to Trail, who hammered Nanaimo 9-5 tonight and the Vipers await a wounded, weary, and probably waspish Nanaimo squad.

Game Notes:

• Besides Gedig and Kane, seven other Vipers finished with two or more points in the contest. Connor Jones had a goal and three assists. Jonathan Milhouse contributed a goal and two assists. Cole Ikkala, Bryce Kakoske, Dan Nycholat, Steve Weinstein, and Mike Collins each had two assists.

• The Vipers scored on both of their power plays, while the Grizzlies went 0 for 2.

• Mike Collins and Connor Jones now share the Viper goal scoring lead with 23.

• Dustin Mowrey was unable to add to his team-leading goals total of 25, after he had scored four times in the two other Victoria games this week.